From £80 to London’s Malaysian Roti King: The Story of Sugen Gopal

Meet Roti King, Sugen Gopal. Malaysian, Tamizh, Londoner. 🇲🇾🇮🇳🇬🇧

He left Malaysia for the UK more than 20 years ago with almost nothing but his parents’ support.“Poi seiye, paathukalam,” they said. Just go and do it, we’re here for you.

Today, this Malaysian King has Malaysians, Asians, Brits, and people from all over the world queuing up for his truly Malaysian flavours across London and beyond, with 11 locations and counting; all rooted in the same determination to spread the joy that is Malaysian food!

But Roti King did not even want to be Roti King when he was growing up, despite being raised in his parents’ restaurant and making roti from the age of 14 at Gopal’s Corner in Ipoh.

He came to the UK with one dream: to make his parents proud and make something of himself.Tak kira apa, gotta do it.

And making it did not come easy. There were years when he survived with almost nothing, sometimes with just £100 in his pocket.

But with family as his backbone, his parents’ love for food shaping him, and a relentless determination to give his customers nothing but the best while putting Malaysian food on the map, he kept going.

This is his story. A story of leaving home, carrying your parents’ hopes with you, and holding on when everything tells you to let go. Long days, quiet sacrifices, and choosing to show up again and again, even when no one is watching.

This is a story about food, yes, but also about identity, pride, and what it means to build a life far from home without ever losing the essence of where you came from. About using food as an anchor, something that brings people together and makes strangers feel like they belong.

In this video, we talk about the journey behind the queues, the years before the success, and the moments that shaped the man behind Roti King.

If you've ever left home (or considering starting over!), started from nothing, or chasing a dream, this one is for you. ❤️🫂

Meeting and getting to know Sugen was one of the highlights of my 2025. His story left me inspired and more determined than ever to keep doing the things I believe in, and to not give up, even when pushed into difficult situations. I hope this video leaves you feeling the same. 🥹

Affiliate disclosure:
Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you choose to purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Roti King: Classic and Modern Malaysian Street Food
Book by Sugen Gopal
If you want to try making some of Sugen and his mum’s incredible food at home, you can find his recipe book here: https://amzn.to/4pztJP3